Dell WiFi trouble (1515)

I've got a problem with a brand new SXPS 1340, and I can't figure out if the trouble is in the hardware or the software...

On Vista, the wireless keeps dropping out and loosing connection... or fails to establish connection. This laptop is the only computer in my network that's affected; all other systems run fine (including a really OLD Dell laptop with an equally old external MS WiFi card... oh, the irony!).

Also... you know how when you search for WiFi networks it takes a while? Well, when it starts to go haywire, it seems to search for networks instantly, as if the card were off.

But what makes me think this is a software issue, is the fact that when I installed Windows 7, the WiFi worked flawlessly (and seemed to have better signal strength) with the built in drivers... and went haywire AFTER I had installed the drivers from Dell's site. (I'm in the process of confirming this right now; setting up W7 again and I'm going to run a "ping router /t" for a while.* )

Speaking of which, I've already tried changing power options in the Device Manager, drivers both from the included CD as well as Dell's website, and I've updated the BIOS. If this turns out to be a hardware issue, then I guess I'll have no choice but to call Dell and have them replace the laptop... in which case I hope it won't take 3 weeks (the time I had to wait for this laptop to arrive).

Please help me out... any suggestions to try to pinpoint the source of the problem more accurately (or fix it, of course) would be great.

*- Also... when you run the ping command, you usually get 2 responses. Either the time it took to reply, or a timed out message (after a short pause). Well, in my case it would also throw out "General error" from time to time (no pause). Unfortunately, there was no more information on that error.

**- Yep. The the W7 native drivers work without a hitch. Just managed to download ~100MB with no interruptions (and the laptops location hasn't changed, so the signal strength is exactly the same).

 

I have had the same problem. My wireless has worked flawlessly since I got the computer in February but as of yesterday it has started dropping in and out. I seem to get the network connection fine but not to the internet (well, it keeps dropping in and out) even though others in the household can connect perfectly, even when sitting next to me.

Actually, I think it may now be working.....*crosses fingers*

In case this helps you:
I have been trying the suggestions on
http://en.community.dell.com/forums/t/19258828.aspx
http://en.community.dell.com/forums/p/19260956/19456938.aspx#19456938\
these didn't seem to work too well but then I reinstalled the dell driver for the 1515 from the drivers cd that came with laptop (well, I had to get them to send me afterwards) instead of the one on the internet (even though they have the same name and version) and it seems now to be working - except the wifi light keeps blinking - which it never has before, is usually just steadily on.
But it is working (currently!) so I am happy.
Hope this helps you.

 

Well, if you say you can connect but have no Internet access, then it's not the same problem. In my case, when it goes haywire, it goes COMPLETELY haywire, meaning it looses connection with the network itself. Also, the driver on the CD and the driver from Dells site seem to be identical... whatever you did, I don't think that was the reason it worked. In your case, I'd check the connection settings (check computer IP, gateway IP and see if those are correct) as well as try and ping the router to see if the connection goes at least that far. If it does, and you still can't access the Internet, I'd check the DNS settings (assuming your IP is assinged by the DHCP, your DNS servers should also be assigned) and proxy settings (highly unlikely, but still). In other words, if you can ping the router, then I wouldn't think it's related with the WiFi itself... unless you get terrible response times and lots of dropped packets.

Anyway, I got the laptop last Thursday... and I've also already found a dead pixel (or it's dust behind the glass panel; either way, the end result is the same), so I'll likely call Dell up and have them take care of this. I just pray I won't have to wait 3 weeks again.

BTW, I'm curious; in case you want to return hardware to Dell due to obvious faults on their part... how does that work? I know, I know, I'll ring them up tomorrow and I'll have an answer, but I'm somewhat anger-fuelled right now and... well, curious. So, do I need to send the hardware back myself (paying for the transport), or what?

EDIT:
Hmm, the drivers found in the second link you posted seem to have helped. Also, they seem to have made the WiFi light blink when not connected (but when the WiFi is turned on). I'm going to make some more tests and see what happens when I put in the drivers from Dell*.

If that's the case, then I'm amazed this isn't a more common problem, as I doubt everyone who got a SXPS 1340 with the 1515 WiFi card is running non-Dell drivers. Could it be that the preinstalled system has a different set of drivers than those offered on Dells site / CD? But to be honest, I never really got a chance to test the preinstalled system; having access to a MSDN AA Business version of Vista, I went ahead and cleared everything out...

This still leaves me with the dust particle behind the panel.

*- Yep, Dell drivers... they're F-ed. The Atheros drivers work fine. I think it's atrocious that the only working drivers seem to be part of a beta OS or user modded... How is regular user supposed to use the WiFi is beyond me.

 

Well, I have never had to return a whole computer ( I have been very happy with Dell, I have had a desktop and three laptops with them). But I did have a problem with my charger for the Studio XPS and I called them up - make sure you call up the XPS support line (they are different to the normal tech support and are 100 times better than the normal guys (especially in the English speaking department)) and they sent me a new one within a few days including packaging which I put my old charger in and then I called a company who came and picked it up from my house (at my choice of time) at no charge to me. Very very easy.

Wireless is still working, but with me the Atheros drivers didn't work but the CD driver did (not the internet one - and I have confirmed this from the device manager). My WiFi light is still blinking and I don't care how or why because it is working!

Hope you get everything solved.

 

I fear they don't have separate lines for XPS laptops in Poland.

Anyway, thanks for the encouragement, and I hope your WiFi stays on!